York Tech to Close Campus Friday and Saturday

York Technical College's Rock Hill campus will be closed Friday and Saturday, as protests are expected to take place.

Author:
Dan Yesenosky , WCNC

Published:
9:28 PM EDT March 16, 2017

Updated:
9:28 PM EDT March 16, 2017

ROCK HILL, S.C. -- York Technical College's Rock Hill campus will be closed Friday and Saturday, as protests are expected to take place.

"We come from a place of concern for our community and we want to make a statement that we reject the symbolism of the Confederate flag," said Dr. Jacques Days.

Days is with Rock Hill's NAACP chapter and assures viewers the organization's protests will be peaceful.

On Thursday night, the NAACP chapter will host a rally at the Kenneth Monroe Transformation Center to instruct people on what they are allowed and aren't allowed to do. The group is protesting the convention being held in town by the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

"To have seen the Sons of Confederate Veterans fight the removal of the Confederate flag from State House grounds was concerning," Days said.

Days says it brings back memories of the Charleston shooting in 2015.

"Subsequent to the death of nine African American church members," Days added.

York Tech is the location of the convention. Legally, they aren't able to stop it from happening but the school's president said he's going to keep the Confederate flag from being displayed.

"I will personally go around, pick them up and put them in the trash myself," said Greg Rutherford.

Days says that's something he was glad to hear.

"That was very encouraging and in fact in our first meeting together, that was something the two parties could agree upon," Days said.

We reached out to the Sons of Confederate Veterans and they did not respond. The NAACP rally starts at 7 p.m. Thursday.